Bielsko-Biała

Bielsko-Biała is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southwest Poland, with a population of 170,000 in 2020. It's post-industrial but has many interesting old buildings and museums, and sits at the foot of the Beskidy mountains.

Understand
Bielsko is on the west bank of the Biała River and Biała on the east: they only merged administratively in 1951. These names mean "white", indicating clear water. Bielsko was founded in the 13th century, with its hilltop castle, and Biała in the 16th. Both were textile towns, processing wool, but when Poland was partitioned the river became the border: Bielsko as part of Silesia was ruled by Bohemia then Austria, while Biała as part of Lesser Poland lay within the Hapsburg Empire, until Austria annexed it in 1772. Both cities had a large German population but joined reborn Poland in 1918. During World War II the Nazis seized the cities and sent its Jewish population to extermination at Auschwitz. The Red Army liberated the cities in 1945 and its German residents were expelled, to be replaced by ethnic Poles leaving areas that had become part of the USSR.

Traditional industries of textiles, metal-working and car manufacture collapsed in the late 20th century, with social unrest that helped bring down Poland's communist government. Service and education-related industries have partly filled the void, and Bielsko-Biała has become a tourist centre for its proximity to the mountains.

City Tourist Information Centre (Miejskie Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) is at Plac Ratuszowy 4 next to City Hall, open M-F 08:00-18:00, Sa Su 09:00-15:00.

By plane
Katowice Airport is in Pyrzowice 80 km north of Bielsko-Biała, and John Paul II Kraków Airport  is in Balice 65 km east. Both have a wide range of budget flights across Europe but are far side of their cities for reaching Bielsko-Biała, so take their airport bus downtown and change. With a group (and especially young children) you might do better with a taxi direct transfer.

By train
Four trains a day are direct from Warsaw, taking 4 hr 30 min via Piotrków Trybunalski, Częstochowa and Katowice.

Hourly regional trains from Katowice take 70 min via Tychy, Pszczyna and Czechowice-Dziedzice. They continue south to Zywiec and Zwardon.

Three trains a day are direct from Kraków, taking 2 hr 30 min via 40 little places you've never heard of, but it's quicker to take the train to Katowice and change.

From Berlin and Wrocław, change at Katowice. From Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Ostrava, change at Czechowice-Dziedzice.

is the main railway station, in city centre. It's a charming building of 1890, mostly clean, with the standard facilities. There are seven small outlying stations served by the regional trains which you're unlikely to use.

By bus
Flixbus runs once a day from Gdańsk, taking 8 hr 30 min via Toruń, Łódź and Katowice airport and city. Two buses from Warsaw take 7 hours via Kielce and Kraków.

Lajkonik Bus runs hourly from Kraków, taking 2 hours via Tychy. Most of these continue to Cieszyn on the Czech border but three per day are for Skoczów, Ustroń and Wisła.

The bus station is across the street from the main railway station.

By road
The main approaches to Bielsko-Biała are:


 * from Katowice go south on S1 motorway.
 * from Kraków either take A4 to Katowice then S1 (110 km), or cut through Wadowice (70 km) on Highway 52.
 * from Wrocław take A4 to Katowice, then S1 south.
 * from Warsaw follow S1 / E67 southwest, 350 km.
 * from the Czech Republic head for Cieszyn then stay on S52 east.

Get around
There's an extensive bus network, operated by MZK Bus Company. In 2024 a single ride is 4 zł, a one-hour ticket is 5 zł and a 24-hour ticket is 14 zł. Buy them from kiosks and validate them immediately on first entry.

Taxis wait at the bus and railway station. Firms include Taxi Bielsko-Biała (+48 608 209 722) and Lider (+44 33 300 3020).

See

 * is the historic market square, now pedestrianised. The buildings are from about 1840, when the town was restored after fires. Picturesque streets running off are Podcienie east and Schodowa south.
 * Church of the Saviour is on Plac Marcina Lutra (which translates as Martin Luther Square) 200 m north of Rynek. The church is from 1782 but much modified in the 1880s; it and its neighbourhood of Bielski Syjon are Lutheran.
 * (Ratusz) the seat of local government is a neo-Renaissance building from the 1890s, on Plac Ratuszowy.
 * (Kamienica Pod Żabami) is a fine Art Nouveau building at Łukowa 12 / Plac Wojska Polskiego, built in 1903. One frog over the entrance plays a mandolin while another lounges with a pipe, and beetles skitter about the walls. It's private apartments so you only see the exterior.
 * (Kościół Opatrzności Bożej) is a baroque church of 1793, richly decorated. It's at the corner of Stojałowskiego and Żywiecka, open most daytime hours.
 * (Ratusz) the seat of local government is a neo-Renaissance building from the 1890s, on Plac Ratuszowy.
 * (Kamienica Pod Żabami) is a fine Art Nouveau building at Łukowa 12 / Plac Wojska Polskiego, built in 1903. One frog over the entrance plays a mandolin while another lounges with a pipe, and beetles skitter about the walls. It's private apartments so you only see the exterior.
 * (Kościół Opatrzności Bożej) is a baroque church of 1793, richly decorated. It's at the corner of Stojałowskiego and Żywiecka, open most daytime hours.
 * (Kościół Opatrzności Bożej) is a baroque church of 1793, richly decorated. It's at the corner of Stojałowskiego and Żywiecka, open most daytime hours.

Do

 * Other theatres are Teatr Grodzki and Teatr Banialuka.
 * Cavatina Hall is a large concert hall on Dworkowa 2, east bank of the river.
 * Bielsko Cultural Centre stages live music and other events. It's at Słowackiego 27, west of the railway station.
 * Cinemas are Kino Helios within Galeria Sfera by the railway station, and Kino Studio at Cieszyńska 24, 200 m west of the cathedral.
 * ascends 1000 m up the mountain south of town. There's skiing in winter and hiking trails all year. Bus 8 runs to the base station.
 * ascends 1000 m up the mountain south of town. There's skiing in winter and hiking trails all year. Bus 8 runs to the base station.

Eat

 * Paparazzi is at Rynek 30.
 * Browar Miejski is a brewery and restaurant at Piwowarska 2.
 * Karczma Rogata is trad Silesian fare at Leszczyńska 40.
 * Lunita is a Georgian restaurant at Jana III Sobieskiego 50 by the Weaver's House.
 * Nowy Świat is modern European fare at 11 Listopada 25.
 * Ebisu Sushi is at Stojałowskiego 8a.
 * Ebisu Sushi is at Stojałowskiego 8a.

Drink

 * Rynek has Celna 10, Craft Bar, Chmielowe Podcienia, Grawitacja, Azyl and Shot Bar Szybka Lufa. Several more towards the station.

Buy

 * Chinski Market is at 1 Maja 12a south of Rynek, open M-F 09:00-15:00, Sa 10:00-14:00.
 * Galeria Sfera is 100 m east of the railway station on Mostowa, open M-Sa 09:00-21:00.

Sleep

 * Dom Turysty PTTK is another budget place 200 m west of the station at Krasińskiego 38.
 * Rynek has three former hotels which nowadays operate as self-catering apartments: By Bogunia, Ventus Rosa and Rynek 7.
 * Rynek has three former hotels which nowadays operate as self-catering apartments: By Bogunia, Ventus Rosa and Rynek 7.
 * Rynek has three former hotels which nowadays operate as self-catering apartments: By Bogunia, Ventus Rosa and Rynek 7.
 * Rynek has three former hotels which nowadays operate as self-catering apartments: By Bogunia, Ventus Rosa and Rynek 7.

Connect
As of May 2024, Bielsko-Biała and its approach roads have 4G from Orange, and 5G from Play, Plus and T-Mobile.

Go next

 * Cieszyn is an interesting old town on the Czech border.
 * Szczyrk is a winter sports resort in the Silesian Beskids.
 * Żywiec is another mountain resort with a small but pretty old town.
 * Katowice is far from scenic but has a rich industrial heritage.